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Can We Talk About Fukushima?

The Fukushima disaster was one of the most devastating in history, and people today are still wondering about and worried over the aftermath and consequences of the event. Japan took their time struggling to clean-up the mess and eventually turned to the global community to ask for help with it. It has been several years since the event first occurred and at least 18,000 people have lost their lives and many remain missing after the earthquake and tsunami that destroyed the area.

Years after the event, hundreds of millions of dollars has been spent and Japan is still struggling to restore the lost communities and to clean-up the radiation. One of the recovery workers for the plant was also recently diagnosed with leukemia, making him one of the first to be reported. The ministry there has confirmed that his cancer is related to his work at the plant.

Looking for further damage, following the Fukushima disaster, authorities ventured to investigate the thyroids of hundreds of thousands of children and teenagers in the surrounding disaster area. They were looking for signs of radiation that might be related to cancers. Thus far, many of the children that were investigated, have bee diagnosed with thyroid cancer. However, one public health minister says there might have been an “over-diagnosis” when it comes to the children and that some of the children have even had their thyroids removed who perhaps it wasn't required for. Some scientists have also attacked the allegations and claim that if anything, the cancer didn't come as a result of Fukushima.

Back in 2013, it was estimated that at least 300 tons of toxic water had leaked into the Pacific Ocean, with more still to come. In that same year, the company charged with clean-up, TEPCO, also disclosed tests from wells that found high levels of radioactive tritium in the water. There has also been an increasing number of mass die-offs with sea creatures, prompting some to wonder if Fukushima insn't contributing to that problem as well.

Former Fukushima executives (former TEPCO bosses) have also recently been charged with negligence over their involvement in the incident. This comes after the prosecutors allegedly already dropped the case twice, before deciding to finally move forward with prosecution. These three individuals who have been charged will be the first ones from the company who will be facing charges.